Lon Woodbury and Co-Host Liz McGhee interviewed Paul Bialek on L.A. Talk Radio about what happens when Buddhism meets western psychotherapy. He described contemplative psychotherapy as the official label for this meeting point between the Buddhism and therapy.
The radio show host of Parent Choices for Struggling Teens, Lon Woodbury is an Independent Educational consultant. His co-host Elizabeth McGhee is the Director of Admissions and Referral Relations at Sandhill Child Development Center.
A Quick Biography of Paul Bialek
As the program lead for the Contemplative Psychotherapy program at Naropa University, Paul Bialek teaches the methodology. Besides this teaching career, he also has his own practice as a psychotherapist in Boulder, Colorado. He has practiced contemplation for 35 years. He has two Master's degrees. One in Intellectual History from Johns Hopkins University and one in Contemplative Psychotherapy from Naropa University. He is passionate about integrating the knowledge of the contemplative tradition of Buddhism into the practice of therapy.
Exactly What Takes place When Buddhism Meets Western Therapy?
Bialek believed that when Buddhism meets western psychotherapy, they share the same goal of relieving individual suffering. Consequently, therapists have found it useful to integrate Buddhist ideas like mindfulness into their practice.
Extensively used by a lot of therapists throughout the country is the technique of mindfulness, which consists of the discipline of focusing on the unfolding minute, with an emphasis on restraining judgment. This practice suspends judgmental, so there is no thought about right or wrong; instead it is about learning to be with the existing moment. Mindfulness, then, is about permitting thoughts to come and go. This contemplative procedure creates clear thinking and practical behavior.
Bialek pointed out that contemplative therapists did not teach mindfulness meditation, but practiced the art of mindfulness when listening to their clients. The therapist's mindfulness then tacitly permits clients to share their thoughts and feelings without inhibition.
Sharing examples of his use of contemplative psychotherapy in practice, he explained the process of paying attention with a friendly attitude to just what was going on with a variety of various clients. The therapy helped clients familiarize themselves with their very own thought-patterns and begin observing their very own life experiences with detachment.
Bialek made patients more aware of their own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors when treating them for teen drug abuse, and his treatments might even include teaching mindfulness and self-monitoring skills to clients and their family. Contemplative psychotherapy helped individuals observe when they were getting addictive cravings rather than automatically surrendering to them.
Discussing anger management in adolescents, he talked about how mindfulness was a beneficial tool in helping struggling teens convert their temper into useful energy. In this form of psychotherapy, there is no attempt to purge an emotional state, but to collaborate with it, therefore progressively elevating emotional intelligence. Clients may in fact have knowledge about their circumstances, just not the capabilities to cope with their feelings.
When Buddhism meets western psychotherapy, the contemplative therapist works at restoring a sense of "brilliant sanity"-an open, clear, and warm quality of mind-in the client.
The radio show host of Parent Choices for Struggling Teens, Lon Woodbury is an Independent Educational consultant. His co-host Elizabeth McGhee is the Director of Admissions and Referral Relations at Sandhill Child Development Center.
A Quick Biography of Paul Bialek
As the program lead for the Contemplative Psychotherapy program at Naropa University, Paul Bialek teaches the methodology. Besides this teaching career, he also has his own practice as a psychotherapist in Boulder, Colorado. He has practiced contemplation for 35 years. He has two Master's degrees. One in Intellectual History from Johns Hopkins University and one in Contemplative Psychotherapy from Naropa University. He is passionate about integrating the knowledge of the contemplative tradition of Buddhism into the practice of therapy.
Exactly What Takes place When Buddhism Meets Western Therapy?
Bialek believed that when Buddhism meets western psychotherapy, they share the same goal of relieving individual suffering. Consequently, therapists have found it useful to integrate Buddhist ideas like mindfulness into their practice.
Extensively used by a lot of therapists throughout the country is the technique of mindfulness, which consists of the discipline of focusing on the unfolding minute, with an emphasis on restraining judgment. This practice suspends judgmental, so there is no thought about right or wrong; instead it is about learning to be with the existing moment. Mindfulness, then, is about permitting thoughts to come and go. This contemplative procedure creates clear thinking and practical behavior.
Bialek pointed out that contemplative therapists did not teach mindfulness meditation, but practiced the art of mindfulness when listening to their clients. The therapist's mindfulness then tacitly permits clients to share their thoughts and feelings without inhibition.
Sharing examples of his use of contemplative psychotherapy in practice, he explained the process of paying attention with a friendly attitude to just what was going on with a variety of various clients. The therapy helped clients familiarize themselves with their very own thought-patterns and begin observing their very own life experiences with detachment.
Bialek made patients more aware of their own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors when treating them for teen drug abuse, and his treatments might even include teaching mindfulness and self-monitoring skills to clients and their family. Contemplative psychotherapy helped individuals observe when they were getting addictive cravings rather than automatically surrendering to them.
Discussing anger management in adolescents, he talked about how mindfulness was a beneficial tool in helping struggling teens convert their temper into useful energy. In this form of psychotherapy, there is no attempt to purge an emotional state, but to collaborate with it, therefore progressively elevating emotional intelligence. Clients may in fact have knowledge about their circumstances, just not the capabilities to cope with their feelings.
When Buddhism meets western psychotherapy, the contemplative therapist works at restoring a sense of "brilliant sanity"-an open, clear, and warm quality of mind-in the client.
About the Author:
Learn more about Lon Woodbury on Struggling Teens. He has recorded the entire interview on his weekly L.A. Talk Radio show for people to listen to at any time.
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